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Evaluation of an office- and hospital-based intervention to increase the use of cloth diapers
M B Sutton1, H Bauchner, J Howland
1Department of Pediatrics, Boston City Hospital, Boston University School of Medicine.
Insights
Physician advice and hospital practices significantly influence parents' cloth diapering choices. This study highlights the impact of healthcare counseling and environmental factors on infant care decisions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Parenting choices regarding infant care, such as diapering, are influenced by various factors.
- Understanding these influences is crucial for effective health education and policy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of an office-based educational intervention aimed at increasing cloth diaper use among parents.
- To identify key influences on parental decisions regarding cloth versus disposable diapers.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 193 infants was conducted.
- Parents were assigned to either an intervention group (receiving physician advice and written materials on diapering) or a control group.
- The intervention was delivered during a 2-week office visit.
Main Results:
- Parental diapering decisions were found to be influenced by hospital practices.
- Office-based counseling from physicians and nurses also played a significant role in parental choices.
- The study observed a shift in diapering decisions potentially linked to external factors like hospital policy changes.
Conclusions:
- Office-based educational interventions can effectively influence parental diapering choices.
- Hospital practices and healthcare provider counseling are critical determinants of infant care decisions.
- Future interventions should consider the broader environmental and institutional influences on parental behavior.
Abstract:
To evaluate an office-based educational intervention to promote the use of cloth diapers, we randomly assigned parents of 193 infants either to the intervention group or to a control group. The intervention consisted of physician advice and written material on cloth and disposable diapers at the 2-week office visit. Midway through the study, one of the birth hospitals switched to the exclusive use of cloth diapers. The results indicate that the diapering decisions of parents can be influenced by practices in hospitals and by office-based physician and nurse counseling.